Apparatus for producing companion auditory and visual records for simultaneous reproduction.



E. H. AMET.

.APPARATUS OR PRODUCING COMPANION AUDIIORY AND VISUAL RECORDS FORSIMULTANEOUS (an-.. an

gzvzssslss: I I I w APPLICATION FILED APR- 21. I913.

REPRODUCTION.

Patnted Apr. 3,1917.

IN VEN TOR.

BY 1% I A TTORNE YS.

UNITED STATES PATENT O FICE.

EDWARD H. AMET, 0F REDONDO BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COMPANION AUDITORY AND VISUAL RECORDS FORSIMULTANEOUS REPRODUCTION.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

Original application filed December 22, 1912, Serial No. 738,809.Divided and this application filed April 21,

* 1913. Serial No. 762,553.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. AMET, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Redondo Beach, in the county of Los Angeles, State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for ProducingCompanion Auditory and Visual Records for Simultaneous Reproduction, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Attention is directed to my co-pending application filed Dec. 22, 1912,Serial No. 7 38,809, out of which application this application has beendivided. 4

An object of this invention is to provide means whereby companionphotographic and sound records may. be so made that the reproduction ofdesired scenes with their accompanying sounds may be effected in asatisfactory manner.

In order to effect such satisfactory reproduction it is necessary thatthe sound and picture records shall be produced in unison, and that thesound record shall be keptfree from markings produced otherwise thanatmospherically.

The synchronous production of companion motion picture and sound recordsfor the reproduction of motion pictures with sound accompaniment haslong been sought, but..in making such reproductions available to thepublic certain difiiculties are encountered, some of the causes of whichI will now point out, viz:

The sound collecting means must be sufliciently close to the motionpicture subject to collect the sound accompanying the action. Themotionpicture machine and sound recording machine should be directlycoupled to secure absolute synchronism in the simplest way, but themotion picture machine produces mechanical sounds which are apt to bemade a part of the sound record and which would be objectionable in areproduction of sounds to accompany the picture, and the direct couplinghas heretofore proven unsatisfactory.

An object of this invention is to produce an apparatus in which the tworecord-making machines are directly coupled and which will effectivelyavoid all the difficulties involved and will enable the operator withperfect ease and freedom to secure synchronous companion records whichcan be successfully employed for reproducing without extraneousmechanical noises, the action and sound of the motion picture subject.

The motion picture machine should be movably mounted so as to bring themotion picture subject within the range of the camera. Such cameramovement should be independent of the placement of the sound collectingmeans. The motion picture machine and the sound recording machine mustopcrate with exact synchronism. Means for maintaining synchronismbetween the motion picture machine and the sound recording machine, whensuch machines are placed at any considerable distance apart, arenecessarily extensive or intricate and require more or less personalattention for keeping the connecting apparatus, of electrical or othercharacter, true. The vmotion picture machine and the sound recordingmachine must be close together in order to mechanically connect the twomachines for synchronous operation. This I do by mounting the motionpicture machine on a base having a hollow frame extension at its sideand the sound recording machine on a base suspended in said hollow framealongside of the other base and by making the picture machine basesufficiently movable to secure the required range for the camera,directly coupling the two machines together in alinement for syii-'.chronous action, providing means.to effect said coupling and alsoproviding non-vibration-transmitting mounting means for supporting thesound record machine on the sus pended base; and actuating the soundrecording machine telephonically by means of a sound collector in atelephonic circuit.

I regard this invention as pioneer in that I directly connect the drivenshaft of a motion picture machine with the drive shaft of a phonographicmachine by means of a nonvibration-transmitting coupling interposedbetween the endsof said shafts and provide a non-vibration-transmittingmounting in terposed between the bodies of said machines to prevent thetransmission to the recording stylus of mechanical vibration foreign tothe desired ,phonographi'c record.

The invention possesses other advantageous features which, with theforegoing, will be set forth at length in the following description,where I shall outline in full that form of invention selected forillustration in the drawings accompanying and forming partof the presentspecification. The .nov-

The essential disadvantage of this is the con- .eltyof the inventionwill be included in the claims succeeding said description- From this itwill be apparent that I do not restrict myself to the showing made bysaid drawings and description, as I may adopt many variationswithin thescope-of my invention as expressed in said claims.

To insure definite uniformity in the speed of the respective machines,the most practical method is to mount thte phonograph record mandrel onan integral extension of,

the drive shaft of the motion picture camera.

ductivity of the shaft, for vibratory sounds emanating from the cameraand conducted '1 to and absorbed bythe phonograph record. After long andtedious experimenting, the

having the contiguous shaft ends attached to novel shaft coupling hereindisclosed, preferably consisting of a drumlike' structure the leather'heads of the drum, was evolved and found to perfectly isolate thephonographic record from all extraneous vibra tions-conducted by thecamera shaft.

1 In the drawings:

. Figure 1 is a view partly diagrammatic and partly in side elevation ofapparatus constructed in accordance with this inven-.

tion; 1 Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the non-v1- bration-transmittin'gshaft coupling interballs.

fposed between the shafts of the motion pic- The art of producingtalking pictures callsfor a working combination between the record.making motion picture machine or camera and the sound recordingmachine. Vlbratlon and noise 1s characteristic of the picture machine,whileabsolute silence in the mechanism of the sound-recording machine isessential; I

Near synchronism of the phonographm record accompanying acontemporaneous I motion picture is not suflicient; theymust be inabsolute unison, and this is possible only when they are so made-and soreproduced.

In detail the construction consists of the usual motion picture tripod1, and of the portable outfit for'making records, orany suitable tableor foundation in the fixed or reproducing outfit. The base consists of aplatform 2 to receive the camera 3, and has the sideextensions 4Cforming a hollow frame in which the sound recording machine 5 1s hung.This base is revolublein a horizontal earner plane around the verticalpivotal pin 6, fixed ,ba'se side and communicate it (to a certain extentdeadened) to the sound recording machine supportf8; whereas a hollowball under the same circumstances will conduct the vibrationcircumferentially and lose it at the equator by lateral distortion, orsomeother undefinable physical efiect. Since a sphere is the only bodyin which all points on its surface are at an equal distance from thecenter of the body, a point on the surface of a spherical body willresist the same pressure to the same degree as any other point on saidsurface. This applies also' to the hollow spheres in which the walls areof even thickness. Thus, the balls serve the purpose of resisting in alldirections the pressure that may be exerted upon them by jar orotherwise, so thatthe-sound recording machine support 8 is therebyalways held in a comparatively unchanging position" within the frame.

The purr 'of the gears and the click of the intermittent feed of thepicture machine, communicated to the driven shaft 37 and to the base 2,and the extensions 4,.are intercepted and eliminated by the shaftcoupling 2 and by the cushioning balls 9 on the subbase 10, which, hungin the extension frame l by the brackets or hangers 11 and therebyinsulated from the vibrations of the base, therefore cooperates with theballs to prevent sound' vibrations from the camera from reachingthesound recording machine through said base. The frame is steadied by thestrap 12 extending from the top of the camera at 13 to the frame at 14:.I

The sound-collector 00 may be an ordinary v phonograph horn and the sameis connected to electrical transmitting means operated thereby andcomprising a telephone transmitter circuit includnig the telephonetrans-v matter a; the primary circuit, includnig the telephonetransmitter wires 7), 0, battery d, switch 6, the primary winding, notshown, of the induction coil f, the secondary winding, not shown, ofsaid induction coil f, and the secondary circuit wires g, hon thetelephone receiver 2'; the same being operatably connected with thesound recording means I j, is of the sound recording machine 5.

The extension sleeve couplings 15 and 16 are respectively fixed to theends of the drive shaft of the camera and the intermediate sheet shaft17 These sleeves are provided with the flanges 18 and 19, that'are fixedto the heads 20 and 21, that are joined together by being fixed(preferably by adhesion) to the annular wooden or fiber ring 22. Thisdrumlike structure is vented through the hole 28 to relieve anyconcussion due to end thrust from either of the joined shafts, or theheads may be open in spider like construction. The heads 20 and 21 arepreferably of'oil-impregnated flexible leather, or rubber havingsuflicient tensile strength to transmit the power necessary for rotationwithout buckling or distortion. Having no sound conducting properties,the heads 21 and 20 isolate the respective ma chine shafts, andintercept any sound vibrations that might/otherwise be transmitted fromthe motion picture drive shaft. The flexibility of this novel couplingalso compensates for any disalinement of the joined shafts and acts as auniversal joint.

The extension arm 24 is attached to the side of the sound recordingmachine at 25. The pillar bearings 26 attached to this arm act asmountings for the shaft 17. This shaft is fixed in axial alinement withthe mandrel shaft extension 27 of the phonograph, journaled in the outbearing 28 mounted on the arm 24.

The magnetic clutch comprises the magnets 29-29 fixed upon the core bar30, that is fixed upon the end of the shaft 17, and the armature disk31, that is slidably splined on the end of the extension shaft 27. It isthe function of this clutch to instantly and positively set, to startthe phonograph mandrel rotating at full speed when the clutch circuit isclosed, as hereinafter described. The shaft 17 rotates constantly withthe camera shaft. The relatively heavy fly Wheel 32 fixed upon the shaft17 has more than suflicient stored momentum at all times to overcome theinertia of the sound recording machine mechanism, to instantly start thesame at full speed when the magnetic clutch locks.

The magnet clutch is operated by closing the switch 33 causing thecurrent to pass from the battery 34, through the brush contact 35bearing against a commutator 36, to which one end of the windings of theI magnet coils is attached; the opposite end of the said windings isgrounded on the shaft 17 through which the current flows back throughthe switch 33 to the battery,

completing the circuit- The armature 31 is slidable on the squared endof the shaft 27 and is instantly engaged by the attraction of themagnets 29 to start the shaft 27 at full speed when the clutch is set.

By the interposition of the coupling in the shaft, and the vibrationabsorbing means between the base, the sound recordingmachine iscompletely isolated fromany sounds or vibratory effects emanating fromthe picture machine and liable to be absorbed by mounting for. the soundrecording machine,'

said mounting consisting of hollow, spherical balls; and anon-vibration:transmitting .coupling between theends of said shafts.

2. In combination with a base, a motion picture machine thereon having adriven shaft; a sound recording machine on said base having its driveshaft attached to and in alinement with said driven shaft; anonvibration-transmitting coupling between the ends of said shafts; anda non-vibrationtransmitting mounting between said base and said soundrecording machine, said mounting consisting of hollow, spherical balls.

3. In combination with a base, a motion picture machine thereon having.a driven shaft; a sound recording machine on said base having its driveshaft attached to and in alinement with said driven shaft; anon-vibration-transmitting coupling and a clutch between the ends ofsaid shafts; and a non-vibration-transmitting and equally in alldirections pressure-resisting mounting between said base and said soundrecording machine.

4. An apparatus for producing companion motion pictures and soundrecords, comprising a base having integral therewith a hollow frame atone end; means between the hollow frame and the other end of the basefor pivotally mounting said base; a motion picture machine mounted uponsaid base between said pivotal means and said last-named end; anon-vibrationtransmitting mounting suspended from said base within saidhollow frame, said mounting consisting of hollow, spherical balls; asound recording machine mounted on said mounting; said machines beingprovided with shafts virtually in alinement with each other; and anon-vibration-transmitting means connecting said shafts for rotatingthem simultaneously. '7'

5. In an apparatus for producing motion pictures and sound records,comprising a motion picture machine and a sound recordmg machine havingtelephonic means for receiving and-transmitting sounds'to the recordthereof; said machines being provided with shafts virtually alinementwith each other; a non vibration-transmitting coupling between the endsof said shafts for driving said recording machine in synchronism withthe motion picture machine; said machines being mounted -on bases; oneof said bases being suspended over the other;

a non-vibration-transmitting mounting between one of said machines andpne of said bases, said mounting consisting of hollow, spherical balls;and a the suspending base.

6. An apparatus for controlling the direction of movement for a combinedmotion picture and sound recording machine conpivotal support for At. aY memo"? pended therefrom; said suspending base being pivotally mounted;said suspended base,- having non vibration transmitting means arrangedin substantially horizontal alinement with each other; and anon-vibrationtransmlttlng coupling between said machines.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco,California, this 12th day of April, 1913. Y

EDWARD n. AMET.

In presence of- BALDWIN VALE, J. B. GARDNER.

